The Lagos State Government has announced that blood donations for the victims of Thursday’s train-bus crash are being accepted at various locations throughout the state.
In a Twitter post, Jubril Gawat, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as well as the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service, called for blood donations and provided locations.
His post read, “Following the Train/Bus Accident, Blood donation is ongoing in the following facilities: 1. General Hospital Gbagada 2. Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre toll gate. 3. General Hospital Lagos Island 4. Folarin Coker Staff Clinic Alausa Ikeja 5. LASUTH PLS RT.”
Donation centre
- General Hospital Gbagada
- Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre toll gate
- General Hospital Lagos Island
- Folarin Coker Staff Clinic Alausa Ikeja
- Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja
Train accident
BizWatch Nigeria had reported that on Thursday morning, a moving train collided with a state bus transporting civil servants to work.
On Thursday morning, the unfortunate accident occurred at the PWD bus stop in the state’s Ikeja area.
Six people have been confirmed dead by emergency responders so far, and over 82 people have been injured and rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Ikeja.
Governor Sanwo-Olu stated after his visit to the hospital that two people died at the scene of the accident and four at the hospital.
He stated that 85 passengers were involved in total, with 42 suffering from moderate injuries, 29 suffering from severe injuries, and eight suffering from mild injuries.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) spokesman, Adebayo Taofiq, stated that while the bus involved in the crash resembled regular BRT buses in the state, it was a Lagos State Government staff bus.
First responders arrived on the scene later to begin rescue operations.
The State Government staff bus was attempting to cross the PWD/Sogunle rail crossing when a train from Abeokuta trapped it on its rail.
Reckless driving
Fidet Okhiria, the managing director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) said that the bus driver is to blame for the Thursday accident involving a train and a bus in Lagos State.
According to witnesses at the scene, the bus was attempting to cross the rail track when it was hit by an oncoming train.
Okhiria said the driver attempted to cross the rail tracks and beat the train.
He urged Lagos motorists to exercise caution when driving through the level crossing.
“According to the information I gathered at the scene of the incident, they said many cars stopped when they got to the level crossing while the Lagos State Staff Bus driver continued moving, which I don’t know why,” the NRC boss said.
“Maybe the driver thought he could pass before the train got nearer to him. He could not pass, and then the train crushed the bus; that is what we gathered.
“The train was coming from Ijoko to Iddo.”
Investigation
Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Aviation, has since directed the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau experts to begin an immediate investigation into the accident.
The minister described the accident as unfortunate in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, James Odaudu, and assured the public that the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) would investigate the immediate and remote causes of the accident and recommend ways to prevent similar incidents in the future.
He requested the public’s assistance as the NSIB team begins its investigation.
He expressed his condolences to the government and people of Lagos, particularly those who had lost loved ones, and prayed for the quick recovery of those injured in the accident.
